Coconut Cake, Corn Pone, and Total Commitment

Brunswick High Athletic Booster volunteers taking care of the concert crowd

Darren Beachley introduces the Dry Branch Fire Squad, 21 November 2010

Ethan Hughes is razzed by the "Old Guys."

The packed lobby at Brunswick High School, Brunswick Maryland

The Dry Branch Fire Squad, 21 November 2010

21 November 2010: What a beautiful, warm, Autumn afternoon in Brunswick, Maryland. We like to get to Brunswick early so we can browse the downtown antique stores. While walking the streets we were stopped by an old man from Culpeper, Virginia who needed directions up to the high school. In two antique stores I overheard groups of people talking about getting up to the high school before it was too late. By the way they were dressed I knew they were not locals. I smiled. In sleepy little Brunswick you could sense the early afternoon "Buzz" that there were more people in town than is per usual. Better get up to the high school before it was too late. Believe me, nothing much this eventful happens in Brunswick. The newly instituted Roundhouse Concert Productions group was having its first-ever, concert/benefit at 3:00 at the other end of town at Brunswick High School. What Darren and Sherri Beachley and Jill and Roy Hossler had worked so hard toward was coming to fruition. I've been following this story since the first concert in 2009 to benefit the Brunswick Junior Baseball League. From the start I had a gut-feeling it would come to this. More baseball benefit concerts ensued. The ticket-buyers multiplied. The music offerings got better. In an economic downtime when family entertainment dollars are being squeezed to the limit it didn't seem to matter when a few good people have a personal dream of doing something wonderful for the community. Darren's that kind of person (and artist). Always working on taking it to the next level of possibility.

We took the short drive uphill to the high school and was confronted with a full parking lot and a hand-written sign that said "over-flow parking in the gravel lot." I love this! And we were very early getting there. One of those pleasant surprises you don't expect. Any promoter has to be happy with the prospect that parking is going to over-flow. Offer good bluegrass and the fans will follow. At 2:30 the lobby was packed already and Jill Hossler and her army of volunteers (the school Athletic Boosters) were busy checking in ticket-holders and soon doing a land-office business in drinks, snacks, and sandwiches. The first thing I spied was an exceptionally large and beautifully crafted Coconut Cake that was up for auction. There were more cakes and goodies, all donated by Jane Smith. I wanted that cake badly - and so did everyone else. In the end we won the bid on some fudge which we'll enjoy over the holidays. You had to admire The Machine that was in operation. This is small-town volunteerism at its best, working toward raising funds for the high school athletic programs. But we were there for the music and there was no disappointment.

The show kicked off with the Dry Branch Fire Squad. I have to admit I've never experienced seeing them in performance and only know them from a historical point. Read any historical account of the growth of the bluegrass movement and you'll read about these guys. I had been forewarned (by my son who had just seen them in San Francisco,) that "They talk a lot!" True - Ron Thomason, one of the original founders has a tendency to get long-winded, and what sounds like down-home Corn Pone soon goes down strange twisted-logic roads about DNA strands and double helixes and comparisons of regional differences. Listen very, very carefully to what he has to say. He had me laughing in the aisles. Droll doesn't even sum up his sense of humor and timing - it's beyond droll. I can't imagine anyone in San Francisco understanding or even finding his Appalachian style of humor funny, but the Fire Squad recently performed at the enormous annual (and open) bluegrass event in Golden Gate Park and apparently they were a big hit. The Fire Squad did twelve pieces for this performance and they were brilliant. They like to show off their playing skills by constantly switching instruments. Two a cappella numbers were the best pieces in the set. They were "Tearing Down the Kingdom of the World" and "Power in the Blood."

The second half of the show was reserved for Darren Beachley and the Legends of the Potomac and the big, new surprise here is the departure of legendary dobro master, Mike Auldridge and his replacement Ethan Hughes. Mike was in the audience and Darren graciously recognized him. Ethan Hughes, at only 19 years old is already an accomplished player and fit right into the mix of veterans. The voice combination of Ethan Hughes, Norman Wright, and Darren Beachley is powerful and full of promise for some amazing future CD's. As is the whole future of the Roundhouse Concert Series. The Legends will hand it over to a new set of performers beginning January 30th, and will continue to expand the concert line-ups to March 20th and June 12th, 2011. The Legends will be back for the performance on June 12, 2011. Darren and Jill Hossler, and all the volunteers up in Brunswick are totally committed to bringing First Class entertainment to the Brunswick region. They need your support to recognize the various student activities at Brunswick High School (Brunswick, Maryland). The best way you can help is donate today to the BRCP organization so these great shows can continue up in Brunswick.

For ticket and donation information contact:

Jill Hossler, 4210 Wallingford Court, Jefferson, Maryland, 21755 www.brunswickbluegrass.org

Brunswick Roundhouse Concert Productions is also available on FaceBook

January 30, 2011: Lost and Found and Washington Junction

March 20, 2011: Bill Yates and Country Gentlemen Tribute Band and
The Little Roy and Lizzy Show

June 12, 2011: Darin and Brooke Aldridge and

Darren Beachley and the Legends of the Potomac